Canadian Employees Place High Value on Wellness
Programs

May 14, 2008 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - A recent survey
shows Canadian employees recognize the importance of
workplace wellness programs and education as a means to
assist them in coping with increasing health risks.

According to a press release on the sanofi-aventis
Healthcare Survey, prevention and workplace wellness
practices such as coverage for vaccines (75%), exercise
programs (72%), and “cutting- edge” drugs (69%) were the
highest ranked health priorities. Nearly three-quarters
(71%) of respondents without access to workplace wellness
programs said they would be interested in participating
in such programs if they were available.

A vast majority of respondents (83%) indicated they
would be more likely to stay in their job if they really
believed their employer was interested in maintaining
their good health, and three-quarters (75%) said they
think more highly of their employer because of the health
benefit plan provided, the release said. Fewer
respondents (35%) whose employer provides health
education at work are likely to report having high and
prolonged workplace stress compared to those without such
programs (44%).

Seventy-six percent of plan members said they
believe they have an obligation to help their employer
control the cost of their health benefit plans and almost
all (96%) indicated that preventing disease, illness, or
injury would help employers control costs.

Sixty-one percent of employees reported it would be
appropriate for their employer to encourage disease,
illness, and injury prevention as long as their employer
does not have access to their personal health records.
Additionally, about one-third (35%) indicated it would be
appropriate for their employer to help them manage their
health.

Two-thirds (67%) of respondents reported their
health was excellent or very good over the past year.
However, almost four in 10 (39%) respondents acknowledged
that workplace stress has made them physically ill at
times, and 18% said stress, both at home and work, has
made them physically ill. Respondents also expressed
growing concerns about being at risk for developing
chronic diseases such as cancer (78%), heart disease
(70%), and diabetes (54%).

While plan members said they are concerned about
obesity and mental illness (36% and 34% respectively),
40% did not name diet, and 43% did not name exercise as
means to prevent obesity. Over a quarter (28%) of
respondents did not know how to prevent mental illness
and only 23% identified stress reduction as a way to
avert mental illness.

Other key survey findings, according to the press
release included:

Nine in 10 respondents (90%) said they think
governments should take more responsibility for
prevention of illness, injury, or disease rather than
just treatment, with a similar percentage (89%) of
plan members agreeing governments should spend more
on prevention.

A majority of employees (57%) reported that
their employer provides health education, but less
than a third (30%) strongly agreed their employer is
doing enough to promote disease, illness, and injury
prevention.

53% of respondents have traditional plans with
no choice of coverage, and 15% said this is the type
they most prefer, while almost 65% indicated they
prefer a flexible plan.